The Frozen Heart
by Blue Roran
Summary: Sorella was kidnapped and turned into a statue for 100 years until she is released and meets Eragon. Please R
1. Past and Present

AN: i don't own eragon or any of the charries but Sorella. Eregon comes in to teh storie in later chaps. Enjoy

AN: I rewrote this chap to make it beta sense people fort it had too many mistakes.

Chapter 1: Past and Present

A girl stumped through the dappled forest, she was dazed and confused, strange sounds swirled around her and flashes of light came thru the gapes in the branches overhead stringing her eyes and making them water. She struggled thru the undergrowth, braches snagged her dress and pulled at her here, long bloody scratches formed along her arms, legs and face she forced herself forward. Her muscles screamed at her to stop but she wouldn't, the fear behind her was too great even though she didn't know what it was. But eventually the Strain became too great and she collapsed shaking and coiffing under a large tree. Her lungs desperately sucked in air, her muscles became num and her throat burned, She was terrified but couldnt continue. After a while her breathing finally slowed and she curled herself into a hollow between two thick tree roots. She lay there quitly listening to the faint sound of rushing water from a nearby river and teh twittering of birds in the trees above. The rush of her own, and seemingly others, thoughts, and jumbled memories fell into her like a hurricane and bombed her until she fell unconscious.

100 years ago a girl named Sorella disappeared 2 weeks before her 17th birthday. No one new where she had gone or what had happened to her. It was rumoured that she ran off with a lover, or perhaps wandered into the forest and was eaten my a wolves, maybe she fell into the river and drowned with her copse travelling far away never to be found. No one new for shore and with time no one seemed to car or remember for more pressing concerns presented themselves and the life of a missing girl became insignificant.

But Sorella wasn't dead. Instead she was trapped as a statue frozen in time deep within a dark and haunted forest.

It was all her father's doing. About 100 years ago he ordered for his only daughter to be captured and bought to him against her will. Ever since her mother had died in mysterious circumstances she had distrusted, feared and hated her father and he had done nothing to try to fix the situation, he was cold, distant and abusive when present, but most of the time he was away doing business that Sorella suspected was of a sinister nature. The men he sent 2 capture her were violent thugs that raped her before turning her over to him with tears of hatred staining her beautiful face, but it didn't matter, he didn't care he had much Worse planned for Sorella any way. Sorella's father took her deep into the forest surrounding the village that she had lived in all her life, he kempt her caged in a hut far away from everyone and every thing. For 11 days she was kept in this way and was fed and given water that tasted strange, Sorella suspected it had been drugged with something but there was nothing she could do as her strength left her at an alarming rate and she weighted for whatever her father had planned for her nex. On the 11th day when she was nearly insane and her body to week to move her father opened the door 2 the shed and dragged her out of the cage. Even throw the trees filtered the sun to a soft green light it still momentarily blinded Sorella and made her skin tingle as the light touched her skin for the 1st time in so long but before her eyes could adjust a sack was forced over her head and her ankles and rests were bound tightly with course rope.

One of the thugs picked her limp body up and started to carry her even deeper into the forest. They travelled for 3 days in near silence with only short breaks so her father and his men could rest. But she was offered no food or water. Sorella new where they were travelling was not somewhere that people normally went, the ear was cold and damp from the thick forest that Sorella guessed she would see if the sack covering her head were removed, ruff leaves and twigs occasion grazed her legs and arms as she was carried. On the 3rd day the going got so tuff that swords had to be used to curve a path threw the thick under growth. Sorella didn't here her father speck as they travelled, but she new he was there, she could sense his presents and feel his eyes on her when they had short periods of rest. Finally Sorella herd her father speak his 1st words since she was imprisoned 14 days earlier, "were here" he announced and they all stopped. They had reached their destination.

The sack was removed from Sorella's head and she looked around. She was in a small clearing about 10m by 10m with thick forest surrounding it on all sides forming an impenetrable wall. Sorella could see a small whole in the bush that indicated the direction they had come from, opposite this was another wounded are and through it an old person came. Sorella couldn't tell if it was an old women or an old man, the face was so winkled and worn it looked like the bark of an ancient tree, it wore brown rags that hung from the hunched shoulders an back, it wore no shoes, its hear was long, thin and grey like dust covered cobwebs. The old person carried a ruff letter bag and a pot with a handle. Sorella suspected it was a sorcerer.

AN: please R&R, thank u


	2. The Triple Death

AN: i rewrote this chap 2 so its betta. Thank you R&R

Chapter 2: The Triple Death

"is this the girl?" the old sorcerer said in a hoarse wispered voice that sounded like it hadn't been used in years.

"yes" said Sorella's father as she looked up at him, he didn't look like her father anymore, his face was set, his eyes almost blank but determined at the same time his jaw and fists were clenched so hard that Sorella could see the veins in his neck and angry nail marks on the palms of his hand. At that moment Sorella feared him more than she ever had before and was convinced that he had killed her mother and probably many more people. He looked capable of any and every horrible act of cruelty she could possibly imagine.

The old sorcerer nodded and took a stinking blanket from the leather bag and threw it over sorella. Sorella couldn't see what they were doing and on one said another word as the old person set up whatever they was setting up. Sorella herd a fire being lit and a pot placed over it, then the worst stench she could imagine filled the ear, it even took over the stench of the blanket that covered her. Finally the smell seemed to get to a suitable level for the oldie so it started to chant. The chant was in a language that Sorella had never herd before; it had a strange rhythm that made her feel even weeker then she already did, she was sure the chant was going to kill her but all she could concentrate on was it the sound of it. She felt so sleepy but at the same time really awoke like she was dulled on the inside but sharpened on teh outside. The chanting from the old sorcerer got louder and louder until it was a screaming shout, it sounded like a dyeing animal when suddenly it stopped and the sorcerer said "uncover her and bring her to me".

The blanket was ripped from sorella by 1 of the men as another stood behind her and took hold of both of her arms and she was untied, the rope left angry red rings circling around her wrists and ankles but Sorella was in no state to care. After a moment she realised that it was her father who was holding her from behind, he pushed her 2wards the old sorcerer who was adding things to the pot that hung over the fire in the centre of the clearing, Sorella looked up and saw a small circle ragged circle of dark night sky above where the trees around the clearing hadn't quite managed to fill in.

"You won't have a care in the world for a million years" the old sorcerer whispered as it took a short dagger from the bubbling stinking pot over the fire "unless of course someone finds you sooner" it cackled and then the horrible old sorcerer grabbed Sorella by the heir and dragged her to her knees in front of the fire. The ground was littered with some sort of sticky liquid and small gritty objects, but Sorella could not see them it was too dark. The old person was still holding her head by her heir and had started chanting again, then as the chant reached its climax the old person plunged the dripping dagger into her hart, Sorella's head went back and her sp$ine arched as the pain throbbed threw her body, her father then strangled her from behind with a short piece of rope that was covered in the same stuff as the dagger. The chanting had made Sorella too week to do anything but also made her senses super sensitive to everything, she felt her warm thick blood ooze from her chest and cover her dress, she felt the dagger in her hart as it struggled to beat, and herd the blood gushing around it, every nerve in her body screamed as she tried to breath but the rope her around her neck cut into her skin and pressed into her throat, she expected her neck would soon break The dagger was then dripped from her and before her body could crumple to the ground she was picked up and frown into the crackling fire. Sorella could smell and hear flesh burning, the smoke rushed into her lungs and her sight went blank, then everything else went blank as the contents of the pot were pored over her wrivering body.

And then there was nothing.


	3. Lightning Strike

AN: I rerote this chap a nd renamed it so its beta and its beta for latter in tthe story. But Im thinking ill leave the next chap sinse it was beta-ed by Rosie (Murtagh's Rose) and some of the reviews say beta-ing is good for my story. Thank u and i hoping u like the changes do far

Chapter 3: Lightening Strike

There was nothing for 100 years, Sorella was forgotten by those who had loved her, and those she loved died while she stayed motionless as a statu. A statu of a sleeping girl curled up on the ground of a clearing in the middle of a forest that no 1 ever visited. Animals made their homes between her arms, bugs crawled under her head and spiders spun webs between the wrinkles of her stone dress, but no humans ever found her. As the seasons changed so did the forest around her, trees fell down and new ones sprouted, rivers swelled, shrunk and changed course, snow and rain fell and the sun shone, but Sorella stayed the same. An earthquake struck and the village that Sorella was born in was attacked and burnt to the ground, more of the forest was cut down for farming and a new town called Catranta was formed next to the River Dakard that had changed coarse to pass near were Sorella lay. The townsfolk rarely ventured into the forest north of the town that still remained around Sorella's resting place. There were Rumours that it was haunted and the mountains further north of the forest cast a shadow on it so it remained dark for most of the day during winter and even during summer it was not particularly sunny.

100 years after the terrible event that turned Sorella into a statu an unnatural and angry storm grew in the mountains. The storm swirled around the pecks of the mountains for 2 weeks growing in strafe and size until it became too heavy and began to sink downwards towards the forest. As soon as it hit the heavier and slightly warmer lower altitude air the storm exploded. Rain and hail pounded on the forest and drenched the land. The river raged as it never had before and almost burst its generous banks. Thunder and lightening crashed threw the sky and occasionally sapped trees into oblivion. The storm rapidly reached the park of the forest where Sorella the statu lay peacefully in the clearing like the centre of a Bulls eye in the middle of the nit. The storm in all its anger and madness couldn't resist the chalLENGE. With all its mite it threw a massive bolt of lightening at Sorella and rocked the sky with a boom of thunder so loud it shock the ground. For a moment the forest around Sorella lit up like a new born star in the deepest depths of space.

The lightening caused some thing to happen to Sorella, the magic of the storm started to change the stone, it cackled and buckled as it obsorbed the energy of the lightening, it started to glow with a golden light which then turned red. From red it turned 2 green and from green 2 purple and then it finally went blue and in a puff of smoke the stone was gone and Sorella lay on the ground as a human again, 100 years from when she was stoned. But the energy had used so much energy that all it could do was rain. Sorella lay unconscious on the soaked ground as the sky cried above her.

Eventually the weekend storm passed over her and the sun broke threw the clouds. Its rays warmed Sorella's skin and eventually revived her. But she was confused as she looked around wildly for her fatter and the sorcerer. When she didn't see them she struggled to her feet and ran from the terrifying evil place where she had been trapped.


	4. Just a Drop

AN: a big thanks to Rosie for beta-ing this chap for me. She really helpef me with teh grammer and spelling. Im abligated to say this but she is the best beta ever. She relly improved my storie. Thank u. I think she is still excepting stories to beta so if u r quick she mite help u 2

Chapter 4: Just a Drop

Sorella slept for 2 days, under the tree, when she finally woke up she found she could bearly walk and she was week, hungry, and cold , despite this, beams of briliant sun piercing thru the branchs of the forest, but most of all she was thirsty. she felt thristy, like the fire, that had helped to turn her into a statue, was still boiling her. Sorella struggleled to her feet, and headed toward the sound of water, her walk was slopy and she lungeded from tree to tree, her head pounding with blood that hadn't flowed for 100 years, her skin tinkled and the slightest touch from the wind or leves made it sting, the noise of her own heart hurt, her ears and the air theat was entering her lungs felt like it was a little too full of razor blades and knives.

Sorella trippled as she walked, the moist forest flaw made the mid-claf lenght ivory couloured dress that she wore, brown and yellow, leaves stuck to her feet, knees and hands, as she fell over and twigs caught in her tangled, black hair. As she walked she began to feel more and more disorientated and confuced again, but she didn't want to fall unconscious again, or it would kill her. She had to reich the water. Finally she had no strength left, just as she reiched the high sides of the River, Dakard. Sorella collapsed. She thouht the end of her live had come and so, soon after it had began, again, after it had been frozen. SO close to teh water, she carved. Then she heard whisling. Sorella fouht, it was an odd sound to hear, and she struggled into a sitting position, so, that she could be more easily seen. Then, walking along the river bank she saw the source of the wisling, it was a little person.

"Help" Sorella tried to say, BUT, no sound came out of her. But the dwarf noticed her anyway. he walked over to her.  
"need some help?" he asked her. Sorella nodded. "Hmmm, can't talk huh. You look a bit of a mess. Let me help you up" he said, but the his touch was pAINFUL when he tried to help her to her feet made Sorella gasp and push against him. The dwarft let her drop back onto the ground and his previously kind face changed into an angerey one and hatred "you got something against dwarfs? Huh? You ungrayteful little pig" he began to shout at her. Sorella was scarred but there was nothing she could do, she could not run from him or scream. The dwarf started to pull the dress off of Sorella as he ranted. Sorella tried to struggle against him, but she was too week.

He raped her.

And once he was done, he pushed the nearly unconscius Sorella into the river.


	5. Landing

AN: Sry that it tok so long 4 teh next chap. Been busy an stuff. and rosie coldnt beta this chap so sry if it is worse tha n the last chap.

Chapter 5: Landing

As soon as Sorellas body hit the water and pluged below the surface, she feeled a pulse of live pass thru her body. The water was so cold and refreshing it decreased the pain and fir she feeled and gave her strengt. The rush of the river forced her back to the surface of the river so that she could breathe before dragging her back down towards the jagged rocks on the floor of the river and then just before she hit them another swirl would bring her back to the frothing surface of the river. Sorella gulped at the air every time she reached the surface, she felt fully alive again. She then relaxed into teh up and down motioin of the river as she breathed and was rfreshed over and over.

The river took Sorella fastly to wards the town of Catranta. She began to here the nose of people and farm animals as the forest on the wright river bank thinned and became farm land. The current was still too strong for Sorella to fite her way to the river's edge, but after a wile she feeled it sllow and was able to say at the surface floting on her back watching the scenery change as she wen by. The land scape witch had changed from forest to farmland began to change again; more bridges and barns began to appeer and then small cortages and houses. The houses become more closely packed and roads and streets began to form squars around them, Sorella realises that she must have reached a town, but she doesn't feel ready to leave the cool, clam of the river and she doesn't want to be spotted by any hostile townspeople who would question where she had come from, so she duckes back under the surface of the water and only come back up for breath as little as she could untill she was passed the majority of the town.

Eventualley the land scape became more like what it was before the town with farmland dominating, but it was still busie and Sorella could see what seemed to be a major high way leeding to the village running a long close to the river's edge with bridges often crossing to the other side whitch was also now farmland. Sorella spotted a small patch of trees on the left side of the river's edge where the current seemed to slow and get caught in swirls of motion. Sorella paddled in that direction and was soon in one of the small wirls and from there could easily reach the ban. Sorella drugged herself out of the water. Her sopping wet and naked body had no protection from the chill wind and the setting sun was beginning to suck the little warmth there was from Sorella's now pale blue skin. She shivered and scrumbaled her ragged hair to try and remove as much of the water as she could before walking on shaking legs furfer down the river to were the patch of trees endeded. Sorella then paused and shivfered again as she loked up at the sky which was becomming an more deep shade of navy blue. She had to find some where warm and safe to spend the night wile avoioding being seen. Sorella headed towards one of the smaller roads that lead to the high way, she soon came a cross a barn with no people in site.

Sorella walked over to the barn door and gave it a gentle nock with her nuckles. No one answerered, so she gave it a gentel pushe, but it didnt move an inch. Sorella then noticed the small paddlock attached to a thin chain that incircled the door handles, it was a week lok, meant more to keep gentle farm animals in then humans out. Sorella walked around the barn to see if there was an other way in. There were none, so she returned to the door and used a couple of hits with a small rock that she found to brake the lok. She removed the chain and pushed the door open.


	6. A Less than Restful Sleep

AN: sry it took relly long for tihs chap to get heir, but its heir now, yay. Im goin to try to update mor often, bt u no sometimes it is hard to find time and motevasion 2 do this. Enjoy an pleas R&R

Chapter 6: A Less than Restful Sleep

The door was obviously freqently use as it swungg open easily with out makeing a nose. Sorella steped other the freshold and onto the hey covered stone till floor. Teh sound of large slowly breething animals meat her ears and the smell of clean hay, sawndust nd shit invade her nostrals. Sorella shut teh barn dore and slowely walked don the center of the dart bar, theer where stalles with sheep and cows on eiffer side of her; she looked at there sleping faces and fel a wave of exhauzson sweep over herself. But she couldnt just sleep in the middle of teh barn in case the farmer arrive in the morning before she wake, so she huonted around for a save place to sleep wen she foond the ladder leding up 2 the hey stor abov. Sorella arms ached as she drugged her self up the old but sturdy lader. The hey lofet Looked like a room full of flufety golden cloouds to the exhauzsed Sorella, it took all her will not to collase at the top of the lader adn not move an inch more, but she manaed to force herself to clime over the pilered up bundles of hey to teh fear end were she would be lest likely to be Discovered, she made a crud little nest and settle down for the night.

Sleep didnt come as quickely as sorellas tyred and sore body demanded and expected, insted she ended up laying a wake thinking over her situashuation for most of the nigh. She new that she wuld need to find fod shortely or she would becom to week to do anything; water wasnt so much of sn issue if she stayd close to the river, but if someone sore her running a round with out clothes on she would surely be stopped and questioned nd then what? She didn not no, she wasnt even sure were she was or how friendely the people were, everything looked unfamilar to her, but at the Same time she fel like she did no where she was. Eventually Sorella fell a sleep, but it was a disturbing sleep. Images of rap, fir, bloud, her faffer and a dark forest drifted in font of her eies like the river she had just climed out of, but in her mind she couldnt get out an drowed instead, all the wile she couldnt shut her mind to the dule chanting of the old magic person who seemed so distant and yet so close.

wen sorella finalely woke the nexx day and looked out a small crak in the woooden wall of teh barn the Sun was still low in the sky an the grass felds a round the barn sparked with due. Sorella could hair the murmur of mens's voices, a flash of the dwarf and her faters hench men entered her mind, but she thought agansed her feer and tried to relas into the hey and stey as quit as possibly.

The men seemded to be walking towards the barn, Sorella hurd them stop at the door and gussed tehy were essamining the lok, teh men quesioned each oter offer what could have broke the lok adn then slowely entered tehe bar. Sorella relised that they must have asspected to see alle ther cattle and sheep stolen or deaded.

"Any1 in here" one of the men called out as sorella hurd them moving objects round in an attem't to determin if any thing was missing.

"Er... must have been a Squtter again" the other man mumeled "we'll have to tell Abanu that he needs to get a better lok"

"he wont be happy that squtters are still using his bar. remember the last one; he left a right mess in the Corner. Abanu was raveing mad when he found out about it"

The Men continued to discuss the last squtter, poked around the barn a bit let the animals out collected some tools and left. Sorella sighed with releef as she heard there voices fad. If she culd remane unseen for the reast of the dey then she could prehaps find something to eat in the evening and hopefully inpprovise some sort of clotffing before making her escap. sorella faired that she mite be loked an if she stayeded to long and the former got another lok, or the men mite come bak for a more forou search of the barn to morrow morning.


	7. Discovered

AN: hers the nxt chap an a new character...

Chapter 7: Discovered

Sorella dozed on and off for most of the morning. She dared to not move or sleep to deeply in case she was discovered and had to make a run for it. All morning a dull pain had been building in Sorella's stomach, she felt it every time she wok and fort it to go back to sleep. By midday, however, Sorella could stand it not longer; she writhed in pain as her body screamed for sustenance and water. But she kept her lips tightly pressed together to stop from making a nose. Every time she herd one of the men come near the barn it took all of Sorella's strength and will to freeze her body and stop her limbs flailing around in the hay.

By the time teh sun had begun to set Sorella was utterly exhausted and her hollow Stomach was discoloured with bruises from her pressing and squeezing it in an attempt to stop the pain. Sorella guessed her unreasonable hunger was probably because of the magic that had put her to sleep, she still didn't even no how long she had been asleep for. She felt too week to try to sneak out of the barn so when the farm workers returned to put the animals to bed she new she would have to stay were she was for another night if they put a new lock on the barn door and she couldn't find another way out.

When the sun had completely set and Sorella hadn't herd any human sounds for what she estimated to be at least 2 hours she slowly descended the ladder and walked to the door. Luckly the farm workers had not managed to get hold of a new lock to replace the old one so she slowly pushed the door open about 10cm so she could see out. Nothing happened. Sorella culd hear or see anyone, the night was cool and still and a full moon gave a gentle elimination. Sorella took a deep breathe and opened the door wild enough to slip her slender body thru. The moment Sorella pushed the barn door shut she herd a deep voice say "halt stranger! what are you doing here?".

Sorella froze and slowly turning her head towards the man she came face-to-face with the tip of a very sharp sword. The young man the swords narrowed his eyes at Sorella and repeted "what are you doing here?"

"I...I...I..." Sorella managed to Splutter, the man impatiently poked her check with the blade "Yes?" he asked.

"Please...I...I... had no were to go" Sorella cried as a tier escaped from her left eye and ran down her filthy cheek and dropped onto the cold metal of the sword.

The man smirked. Sorella felt his gaz slowly move up and down her naked body before he asked "why are you naked"

"I..." Sorella didn't no what to say "why does it matter, are u going to kill me?" she asked. Something changed in the man's face, he almost looked like he was going to smile.

"Why would I kill you? Have you done something deserving of death?"

Sorella hesitatingly said I don't think so", and the man really did smile now and then he laughed "you don't _think so_".

"I mean..." Sorella didn't like the way he was laughing "I haven't. I merely slept in your barn, I will be on my way now" and she started to step away from the man and the sword.

"Hold it" he said "you were trespassing and my father has said that I am to kill any one I find trespassing on his land, especially if they have been messing with his barn or animals"

Sorella was terrified "please... I didn't take anything or make a mess, I just slept."

"hmm. I'll have to tell my father and see what he thinks" the man said as he removed the Sword from Sorella's face.

"No, please" Sorella cried as she reached her hand out as if to stop him.

"Your a brave one" he said as he sultrily tested the sharpness of his blade against his thumb "you seem to have forgotten that I'm the 1 with the sword"

"Please" Sorella pleaded as she fell away from him "you could just _not tell _anyone that you saw me. I was desperate and I'll never come back. You'll never see me again

"You _were_ desperate? Looks to me like you still are" the man laughed, Sorella frowned

"ok, ok. Since you are so desperate and naked I won't slice you in 2. In fact, I will help you" he said as he took off his jacket and handed it to Sorella.

The man started to walk away; Sorella hesitantly a moment before putting on the jacket and following him.


	8. Aakil

AN: hey, heres the nex chap, sorry it took a long tim. Ejouy. And pretent their was no gun and phone in chap 7 I mad a mistak so pretent it was a sword.

Chapter 8: Aakil

Sorella flowed the man to an unfenced corn field behind teh barn. Sorella woundered how she hadnt noticed it when she first arived at the barn the nite before, but she guessed she was in a bite of a ruff mental stat and still was she was about to take an ear of corn from one of the planits when she noticed that they was still green and it would be steeling so in stead she scrumbled her hands into fists to stop herself and continud to follow the man threw the field of korn. The sky was becoming very dark now and Sorella started to get scared and so she stopped walking, the fourt hit her that the man was actually planning on leding her into the middle of the feild and then rapping and killing her where know one would hair her screaming or see them threw the corn which was taller than both her and the man. The man took a cuple more steps before noticing that she was noo longer following him. He turned his head to look at her "what?" he cazually asked. Sorella said nothing, she just staired at him.

"Look, if you don't want my help anymore, then just say so and I'll walk you off my fathers land and leave you, but don't even think about taking anything before you leave" he smirkled

Sorella pulled the mans coat that was drappd over her sholders closer to her self and said "no" before stepping forward to flow him again.

They eventulally reached the end of the corn field and then walked threw a cabbage field and cut cross the corner of a dirt field that looked like it was sprouting potatos before they came to the edg of a forest.

"its alright" the man said as he wated for Sorella to catch up with him on the edg of the frest "were almost there".

Sorella was egzhausted and didn't no how she continud to walk, but she manageded two for another 10 minutes along a bearly see-able forest path before they came to a cleering with a small cottage with a smoking chimney in the middle of it. The cottage was cicled by vegetable and flower gardens. It had a small well in the garden, some froot trees and a fencied grass area contaning a lean to and water troff that Sorella guessed was for animals. The man walked up to the front door and gave it a gentle nock before calling Sorella over. An old woman opened the door and a brown cat raced out.

"what de ye want at tis time o nite?" the women grumbled at the man in bad english

"I have some1 who needs your help" teh man replied

"why shuld I help you, boy?" the women snarled and gleared at him, he returned the look with one equalaly feirce "I'm not asking you to help me" he replied befor pushing past her into the house laeving Sorella on the doorstep. The old women grumbled and then finaly looked at Sorella and clicked her tung "well yed better come insid then deary" she said and held the door open for Sorella, she hesitatated and then walked through the door into a medum sized room. On 1 side of teh room was a glazzing fir, the man was all ready sitting in a comfortabl old chair in front of it. It took all of Sorella's will to walk rather than run over to the fir and sink to her nees on the rug in front of it.

Sorella looked over her sholder and sawed the old women shacking her head at the man "anoter stray, huh?" she grumblied at him before turning and walking into the small kitchen on the other side of the room. The man quietely chukled before getting up and letting the cat, which was scratching at the door, in and going back to the chair. The cat jumped onto his lap and started perring as he patted it.

Sorella turned back towards the fir she didn't no wat was going to happen now but she hopped and suspected that she wuld be alright. Although the old women grumbled she seemed to be kind and she looked at the man quite affectionly. Sorella fourt that even if she was allowed to just sleep in front of the fir for the nite she wuld cope with not having any food until 2morrow, she was already starting to feel beta.

Sorella culd feel her eye lids starting to become heavy as she looked into the leping orange flams and the glittering black wood in the fir when the old women came over "here yer are dear" she said as she handled Sorella a thick peice of crusty breed, a spoon and a large bowl of soup "oh, thank you so much" Sorella wispered in surprise. The old women took the other chair facing the fir and Sorella pawsed before dipping the bred into the soup and taking a bit. It was so good that she culdn't help but eat the breed and soap as fast as her mouf would allow her. The old women seamed pleased and gave her a second helping respite Sorella protestatatons. Once the second helping was finnished the old women handed Sorella a blancket and she curled up in front of the fir and closed her ayes.

After about 10 minutes of sylence the old women finally spock to the man "well?" she askied.

"well wat?" he replie.

"well... where did ye find this one?" the old women asked

"she was sleeping in the barn and thats all I no about her"

"an wha are ye planning ta do wit her?"

"nothing for now" he replied after a long paws "I dont think shes fit to do anything but eat and sleep at the moment"

"aye" she agreed "theres somethin odd bout this one. I wont be surprised if truble of a sort flows her"

"hmmm" he agreed and stod up to leaf

"Aakil, ye really ned to stop finding these streys, one day yer goin ta resque one that don want ta be resqued"

Aakil laffed as he went out the door.


	9. Mildred

AN: Ok I got the next chap done, the chap 8 was all ready done a wile ago i just hdnt postured it yet. And I spell cheeked this 1. I didnt have msword before and so i couldn't spell check it but now I have so it should be better., But remember that Mildred is supposed to speck like that.

Chapter 9: Mildred

The next morning Sorella wok to the old women poking the fire. Sorella stretched and rubbed her ayes "good mornin deary" the old woman said when she sore Sorella was a wake "I'm a makin porridge for breakfast".

"oh, you don't have to do that" Sorella said as she sat up "I should be on my way, you've all ready bean to kind"

"nonsense, yer not about ter leave. Yer in no condition ter leave. Yer goin ta stay till yer strong and healthy" and with that she pushed a bowel of porridge and a spoon in2 Sorella's hands "ye just eat that and I'll see if I can't find something for ye ta were"

10 minutes later the old women came back with a plane pale blue dress made out of a soft but strong material and a pair of worn brown letter boots "here ye go deary, these might fit, they was my sisters before she died. An I'vov warmed ta water in de tube out back fer ye ta have a bath"

"oh, thank you" Sorella said as she got up and flowed the old women outside to the bath.

Sorella fought the bath was glorious. The old women provided her with lavenfder soap and helped her wash her hair. Sorella stayed in the bath for an good 20 minutse and when she finaly got out her skin was scrubbed pink and her hare fell in silky curls around her shudders. The dress and bots that the old women gave her were a tough 2 big but Sorella wasn't about to complane, she was clean, fed, rested, safe and the sun was shining.

The old women was tending to her garden so Sorella went over to help her

"Ye don't have ter help m'deary" she said "ye shuld be restin, Aakil won't be happy if he finds ye out here helpin when ye shuld be restin"

"I want to help you, I'm feeling a lot beta today and I want to repay you for feeding me and giving be these cloths" Sorella said as she began pulling weeds and asked "what is your name?"

"Me names Mildred Nuntrid, and what is your name deary?"

"I'm Sorella"

"No last name?"

"Er... no" Sorella replied, she couldn't risk any1 nowing her real identity in case her father found out that she wasn't dead and discovered were she was and tried to finnish what he started.

"An why are ye in the predicament that ye are in?"

"Oh...um...I don't exactly know" Sorella said "actually, I dont even know where I am"

Mildred gave a sympathetic look before replying "ye be at my house which is south of the town of Catranta. Catranta is on the other side of the River Dakard which is west from here"

"Oh" Sorella noddeded, she new the River Dakard but had nevcer herd of Catranta. As far as she new their was no town of Catranta anywhere near the River Dakard and if Catranta was the town that she went past while in the river then it certainly didn't look like a new settlement. She decided she would think about it latter and perhaps see if she could get her hands on a mapp. Mildred stared at Sorella in a way that made her think she was trying to look at her soul before she said "there must be somtin important yer not telling me, deary. Its not every day that people find them selves in the conditioner yer in with noting, not even clothes or a last name ter keep them company"

Sorella nodded but said nothing, Mildred seemed to understand thet Sorella didnt want to talk about it and they went back to silently gardening. An hcur later when Sorella had just mangered to remove a partarcolarily large weed she asked "So, who is that man, Aakil, who helped me?"

Mildred gave a quick a smile "He's the son of the man who owns most of the land around here" she answered "his family runs a farm on about a quarter of the land they own which feeds a fair amount of Catranta".

"and why did Aakil help me"

"Because I wanted to" a man's vioce ansered. Sorella looked up and found Aakil leening against a tree about 5 meters away from were they were weeding, lafter danced in his silver-grey eyes and a large black hoarse with a white blaze down the middle of its head stood behind him. Aakil was wearing black pants and boots, a lite grey shirt, a vest and a sword hung at his side.

"oh" Sorella blushed, she could Feel Aakil's eyes moving over her as she looked around to find anoter weed to pull.

"We can finish this gardening in the afternoon" Mildred announced "shall we have some lunch?"

"Sounds good" Aakil replied and went over to mildred to help her to her feet.

Mildred and Sorella went inside, by the time they had washed their hands Aakil had secured his hoarse 2 a three and was walking through the dcor with a large sack of flour "this is 4 you" Aakil said as he put it in the kitchen and gave Mildrid a meeningful look.

After lunch aakil left and Mildred and Sorella continued gardening.

Later that evening after diner while it was still lit outside and Mildred was busy Sorella decided it was time to quietly leave she didn't want to outstay her welcome and she really didn't want any1 asking difficult questions about her or about her father too find out where she was. Sorella found the faint forest path that they had used to get to Mildreds house the nit prior and started down it. The path was certainly not well travelled, Sorella suspected Aakil was the only person who Ever visited Mildred and she got the feeling that Mildred never wanted or needed to go anywhere.

Sorella had only travelled about 100 meters down the track when she herd the sound of hoofes; before she had time to find some where to hide she was already within sighed of Aakil and his hoarse.

Aakil looked down at her and politely asked "and where are you off to"

"I...um...Mildred sent be to get something for her from Catrantaa"

Aakil chuckled and shock his head "that's a terrible lye and you no it" he said before he jumped down from the hoarse.

Sorella frowned. "Come on" Aakil said and turned her back around and walked her back to Mildred's house were they sat on a garden bench under an apple tree.

"So why were you leaving?"

"I...I...wasn't" Sorella said, she was very upset of the situation and of what she needed to do to get away without making attention onto herself "why were you visiting again this late in the day?".

Aakil grinned "I was just coming to cheek on you, so where were you going to go?"

Sorella was silenced.

"I want to help you Sorella" Aakil said "but I can't if you wont talk and I can't just let you walk off on your own without nothing, please let me help you"

"Ok" Sorella sighed "I need to find my brother. My Father tried to kill me and I've been gone for three weeks now, my brother will be so worried and I need to warn him"

Aakil gasped "why did your father try to kill you?"

"I don't no" Sorella sobbed, she didn't want to cry but everything she had gone threw seemed to be catching up with her as she sat in Mildred's lovely garden in the fading light with Aakil being so nice to her "he just...he just kidnapped me and I was so scarred and then I was trapped for two and a half weeks and then there was chanting...and then...I...I don't know, everything is just so muddled in my head and I don't know where I am and I just want to find my brother" she rambled before she collapsed against Aakils shoulder with tears steaming from her eyes.

"Its going to be alright" Aakil tried to comfort her but all she could do was cry.

Once she had finally clamed down Aakil lifted her from his shoulder were their was now a massive wet patch "I want to help you. I'll help you find your brother" he told her.

Sorella's gulped down her last tears before saying "no... you don't have to do that"

"Yes sorella I do" Aakil firmly assured her, he didn't sound like he was going to take no for and answer so Sorella nodded and whispered "ok". Before Aakil took her back into the house he managed to convince Sorella to weight one more nite before they started their quest to find her brother and/or father so that she could regain more strength and they would have the entire day to travol. And they explained the situation to Mildred who wanted Sorella to stay at least a weak but new she wouldn't.


	10. Storm and Kohl

AN: thank you everyone 4 the reviews so far. I did us spell cheek and their was only red wiggles under the names and Mildred's talking an maybe a few other words that i wasn't sure how to spell but the options in the spell cheek i didn't think was the rite one so their isn;t any mistakes I'm not a idiot i no what the red wiggles are. Hopefully this chap is beta i spent extra time rereading it to try to remove the mistakes and i said 2 pretend the gun and phone wasn't in it.

Chapter 10: Storm and Kohl

The next morning Sorella wok early and from her position on the rug in front of the fir she looked up at Aakil still a sleep in his chairs. Aakil had stayed the night at Mildred's too, Sorella guised it was to make sure she didn't run off on her own, but she was glade that he had stayed or she probably would have made a run for it. Sorella watched Aakil sleep for a bit as the sun slowly rose and pepped threw the window until light streamed across Aakil's face making his skin turn bronze and his dirty blond hair turn into a gold halo until the light got too bright and Aakil woken. He stretched and looked down at Sorella "your still heir" he yawned.

"yea, I am, but we won't be for long, Right? We will be able to get going early?"

"mmHmm, first we must have some breakfast" he smiled as he slid from the chair onto the rug next to Sorella and started pocking the fire to make porridge.

After breakfast Aakil straddled his horse and Mildred gave them a bag of food for lunch "take care m'dear" she said to Sorella as she gave her a breath hug "yerd better tak care o her" she glared at Aakil "I've got quit attached ta this one" and she gave Sorella a last smile before Aaril turned the horse and they started to ride threw the forest.

Once they were out of the forest Aakil turned his head to talk to Sorella while they rode.

"First we'll go to my fathers house to get some supplies, including a map for you to look at and I'll leave a note for my mother and father and then we can travel to Catranta and then further north to the last place you remember Being".

"sounds good" Sorella said

"and we'll get a hoarse for you, I think I know a hoarse that will suit you well" he added "you _can_ ride can't you?"

Sorella laughed "of course I can"

They were silent for the rest of the ride until they passed the barn/. Sorella was amazed by how far away from Mildreds house the barn was, she couldn't believe she had managed to walk that far in the stat she was in. Further up a dirt road from the barn was Aakil's family's home, it was a large old house with a carefully landscaped garden surrounding it and a number of outer buildings. First Aakil and Sorella rod up 2 the main house, Sorella chose to stay outside while Aakil dealt with his family and got some supplies. They then went to the stables were Aakil introduced Sorella to large grey speckled mare hoarse.

"She's lovely" Sorella said to the hoarse

"She is. She's a good strong hoarse that is easily capable of travelling all day with only resting at night. Her names Storm"

"And what is your black hoarse called?" Sorella asked

"Kohl" he said "here's the map if you want to look at it while I saddle the hoarse"

"Thanks" Sorella said as she took the map and sat on a bench, Aakil walked off to get the saddle and other hoarse supply's. Sorella opened the map and was immediately confused. The map had some bits that were wrong and some bits that were right. The upper part of the Dakard River lcoked similar to what she remembered but as she trussed the river southward it changed from what she remembered and the village she grew up in seemed to be completely absented and was replaced with more forest, she followed the river further down until her finger reached Catranta. The town was bigger than she expected and scrawled westward away from the river in a spider web of streets and houses until it finned into more farmland and then finally dessert before the edge of the map. Sorella remembered the dessert, her brother and father used to travel there regularly and she went with them a couple of times but not very far in. The dessert was a harsh unforgiving place that took lives without remorse but some very powerful magic took place in the dessert and the dragon riders did some of their training further in. Sorella remembered the first time her brother went into the dessert with his young dragon and their Father and his dragon. Sorella had seen that it had changed him but he wouldn't talk about what had happened and she knew she would never find out unless an egg choose her too. Sorella pulled her forts away from her brother and back to her present reality only to discover that tears were running down her cheeks and dripping onto the blue dress. She suddenly felt very alone, she didn't no where her family was or really were she herself was, the map was all wrong and she didn't understand why. Unless Aakil had given her a flak map, although her father had never mentioned him maybe he was friends with him and he was planning on returning her to her father and he was just being kind to trick her into feeling a security, he had after all ready made her agree to travel north to her home. But that had been her idea, or had he planted it, Sorella suddenly felt confused and paranoid. Especially since she had seen for Herself that the river and it's banks were different to what she remembered, something very strange must have happened to her in that forest with her father and the old chanting person.

"Whats wrong? Aakil asked her, he looked concerned as he retched down and touched her shoulder.

"I just...this map looks wrong. When was it made?"

"um, it should be fairly recent" Aakil said as he took the Map from her and turned it over "hair" he said as he pointed to a date on the bottom left corner "it was made early last year".

Sorellas Heart stopped, the year was 99 years later than it should have been. "That can't be right, that can't be the right year" she gaped.

"Well it is" Aakil said as he handed back the Map "what yea did you think it was?" a smirk played on his lips.

"the last I knew it was 99 years earlier than the date on that map"

Aakil laughed "what, that's not possible, you don't look like your over 100 years old"

"I know, it must have some thing to do with the magic my father and the old person were using" she said with tears erupting from her eyes as she realised that her brother and everyone else she new were probably dead by now if 100 years really had passed.

Aakil sat on the bench next to her and tried to comfort her "its all right" he said "we'll get to button of this. When we get to Catranta we can gather some information. Theirs a wise elf that works in the Library of Islingr, he's at least 200 years old nose more about the history of this area and any powerful dark magic in its past than anyone else"

Sorella nodded and whipped her eyes "thank you" she whispered Aakil stood and walked over to Storms stable and went in.


	11. The Town of Catranta

AN: hey, heres the next chap. I think eragon will be on the story more in 2 or 3 chaps so that's exciting. Please keep reviewing Thank u. I like 2 try to make the story beta and I think the spelling has improved, I'm trying hard anyway

Chapter 11: The Town of Catranta

Sorella and Aakil travelled from his house westward toward the Dakard River. Sorella found Storm to me a lovely gentle hoarse to ride and quickly began to relax into the saddle and the rhythm of her gate. At first the journey was very uneventful, the road towards the river wasn't a major one but still they passed the occasional farmer or group of children that waved at them as they passed, however Sorella noted that none of the people actually smiled at them they all seemed slightly hesitated and reserved. By the time they reached the river the sun was at its highest place in the sky and burning down on top of their heads and shoulder so they decided to stop for lunch. Aakil had gotten sandwiches from his house for them to have lunch and while they ate they saw some people walk past with a donkey pulling a cart, teh people waved but again their faces were somewhat hostile as they glared at Aakil. Once they had passed sorella said "those people didn't seem to like u very much", Aakil said nothing.

"Why don't they like you?" Sorella finally asked.

"Maybe it's _you_ they don't like" Aakil laughed and then got to his feet and collected the horses from where they were grassing.

After lunch they continued the last 50 meters to a stone badge that took them over the river, Sorella looked down at the swirling currents and remembered the feeling of being gently cradled by the water and being swept further down, the water rushed over her and the cold feel of her skin, it seemed so long ago but was really only a few days. Not far from the bridge the road joined the highway leering to the town and the Traffic got heavier. It was no longer farmers and children of farmers travelling on the road it was now all sorts of people from wealthy looking merchants down to vagrants that zigzagged drunkenly from 1 side of the road to the other. Sorella fort not much seemed to have changed, life seemed to be the same as her life had been 100 years except that the people seemed less friendly and she had not yet seen a single dragon or rider.

After an hour travelling on the highway houses started to appear and Sorella recognised some of the things that she saw as she rapidly floated past free nights ago. The highway got bruiser and bruiser until they reached the main gate into the town. It looked like a wealthy town that was well fortified with a number of guard towers and a large heavy gate to close out all the bad things at night. The wall surrounding the town was wooden and although it had been repaired in places none of the damage looked recent, Sorella couldn't believe that this entire town didn't even exist at all a month ago in her memory.

"Will we have trouble getting past the guards?" she asked whispered to Aakil as they lined up behind a cart full of rocks "you know, since we don't live in the town"

Aakil smirked and replied "we won't have any trouble"

And sure enough when they reached the front of the line the guards didn't ask who either of them are or what they were planning to do in the town. Sorella got a few odd looked and she suspected she would have been questioned if she wasn't with Aakil but they were waved strait threw the gates and into the town. Inside the town wall it was very much like Sorella expected; there were people of every description every where and the crowd seemed to push them 2wards the town square where there was a large market selling all manner of goods from food to slaves and everything in between. In teh very centre of the square was a large stone fountain in the shape of a dragon with water squirting out of its mouth like fire. Sorella thought the dragon looked a bit like her Father's dragon which caused a sliver to dance down her spine.

"What dragon is that? Is it a special one or something?" Sorella assked Aakil.

"Nah, it's not really any dragon, just one the artist made up. Apparently in the past this area was home to a number of dragon riders, but of coarse that's not the case now".

"What do you mean? Where do they all live now?"

Aakil looked confused for a second before he seemed to remember that the last Sorella new was 100 years ago "their are no dragons or dragon riders" he bluntly said.

"What?" Sorella gasped "what do you mean?"

"All the dragons where killed about 90-100 years ago by Gabble, I suppose it started not long after whatever it was happened to you. Gabble was a dragon rider and then his dragon was killed by Gurgals so he and some of his friends destroy there city and killed all the dragon except for their own, so now there are no dragons" Aakil explained "although it is rumoured that three eggs remain and Gabble, who rules everything, had then hidden in his castle".

Sorella could believe that all the dragons were dead. It was just so shocking and unbelievable, but she hadn't seen a single dragon yet and Aakil had no reason to lye about such a horrendous thing so she supposed it must be true. Sorella couldn't stop a large tare from escaping from each of her eyes as she fort of all those poor dragons and it confirmed that bother her brother and her father and there dragons were dead.

"but don't be sad Sorella, it all happened a long time ago. Nothing can be done about it now" Aakil said with a smile before he lead her out of the Town square "the Library of Islingr should be open for another hour so if we go there now you can ask the elf some important questions before it gets dark"

"ok" Sorella said as she followed Aakil.


	12. The Library of Islingr

AN: heres the next chap. U may have noticed that i revised some of the early chaps 2 make them beta. R&R thank you

Chapter 12: The Library of Islingr

Aakil lead Sorella down a number of streets lined with tightly packed shops and then houses until they started to ascend a small hill in the north-west end of the town. Sorella had lost trace where they were and was starting to feel tired when Aakil began to slow his horse and then finally stopped in font of a rather unassuming but large heavy wooden door set into an old moss covered stone wall.

"Here" Aakil said as he jumped down from his horse and went to help Sorella down from hers "it doesn't look like much but threw their is the Library of Islingr which is the most important and biggest library in this part of Alagaysia". He went over to the door and nocked on it twice.

"What?" said a deep grumpy voice from behind the door

"I want to talk to Evarinya"

"Its too late snapped the voice

"No it's not, the library should be open for at least another three quarters of an Hour" Aakil said, a hint of annoyance entering his voice.

A little sliding window opened at eye level in the door and a pair of murky blue eyes capped with thick grey eyebrows looked out at Aakil and glared at him for a moment, Aakil glared back and then the door opened.

"Fine" the grumpy man said as Aakil started to led his horse through the door "but you better not take long, I cant lock up, swap guards and go home until you leave" Sorella followed Aakil with Storm past the grumpy guard.

The door led to a small square tiled court yard with a tree in the middle of it. Although the tree was not overly large it looked old, its branches were all twisted and knobbly from being prune and forced against their nature so that the tree twisted around itself like a sculpture. The court yard was surrounded on 3 sides by a large stone building with a three doors, one on each side of the square. The wall to the right had 5 floors of ornately carved windows regularly spaced along its length. The other 2 walls had no windows and the only decorations adorning the ruff stone surface were tentacles of ivy clawing their way towards the roof with patches of moss peeping between the leaves giving the stone a dull green tinge.

Once the guard had shut the door Aakil dropped his horse's rains and walked towards the door to the left; Sorella followed and managed to catch up with him just as he was opening the door.

"This is the Library of Islingr" he said "Evarinya the elf is the top librarian and then there are about thirty-two other librarians, they are mostly humans. They hold all the records and knowledge of the city including all births, deaths, marriages, criminal records and detailed maps of the city and surrounding countryside. They judge legal disputes and decide on punishments for all minor to moderate offences (the worst are dealt with by the empire). The librarians actually live here, the door opposite this one leads to the living quarters," Aakil said before he went into the library.

"Wow" Sorella breathed as she looked around at the rows upon rows of wooden bookshelves crammed full of books. Some of the books looked new but as she followed Aakil further into the library she saw some more ancient and tattered books with titles in a variety of languages, most of which she did not recognise. The library was five stories high with bookshelves extended uninterrupted up to the ceiling, sliding ladders allowed access to all the books right up to the top. A complex web of ropes, pulleys and wooden boxes were suspended in the air connecting all corners of the library and all the bookshelves together to allow books to be easily moved around by the librarians. The floor was a dark grey stone, Sorella expected the noise of their book tapping against it would echo around the library but to her surprise there footsteps seemed to by muffled no matter how loud she tried to stomp her feet. Aakil and Sorella wondered around the rows of bookshelves for about 10 minutes before they came across 1 of the librarians. Teh librarian was halfway up a ladder so Aakil called up to him "excuse me, can you please tell me where we can find Evarinya"

There was silence for a moment before the librarian pointed further into the library and said "section 568GQ" in a voice that despite the great distance that it had to travel to reach sorella and Aakil on the ground still sounded like a whisper.

"thank you" Aakil called up to the librarian who seemed to have already forgotten all about them. They set off in the direction indicated by the librarian and followed the numbering system which was printed on the end of each Bookshelf and took up 3 pages of small print on each one. After about 10 minutes and getting lost twice they finally stumbled upon section 568GQ and found the elf librarian Evarinya placing a stack of about five books into one of the wooden boxes which then took off in the opposite direction to Sorella and Aakil. Aakil gently cleared his throat to get the librarians attention.

"Ah, Aakil, how nice to see you" Evarinya said in a voice that was a whisper and yet perfectly audible "I trust you and your family are well?" he said as he took Aakils hand in his own ink stained ones.

"Yes, everyone is well" Aakil replied, Sorella found his voice jarring, it sounded oddly loud and sharp compared to the soft librarians.

Evarinya smiled and said "I've been expecting you; I actually fort you would have been here weeks ago"

"No" Aakil said and Sorella noticed a slight blush creap into his checks "I'm not here about that"

"No?"

"No" Aakil shock his head "this is Sorella", Evarinya took her hand "she is after some knowledge...if you would be so kind?"

"of course" Evarinya nodded as he looked into Sorella's deep brown eyes with his own faded blue elfin ones "and what knowledge do you seek Sorella?

"I...um..." Sorella hesitated as the elf let go of her hand and looked at her expectantly "something odd seems to have happened to me, something magical that is, I woke up about 4days ago in the forest north of here and the last thing I remember before that, took place 100 years ago"

"Hmmm, that is odd" the elf agreed "and what is the last thing you remember?"

"um...well...the last thing is my father trying to kill me" she said, the elves expression didn't change but he seemed to want her to elaborate "well..." she began "I was fed some strange stuff and then there was some chanting and... the old magic person stabbed a dagger into my heart while my father strangled me and then they pushed me into the fire and something was poured all over me" Sorella felt hot tears running down her cheeks and sighed, she felt like all she had done in front of Aakil was cry.

"I see" the elf said "sounds like the triple death"

"The triple death?" Aakil repeated with a frown

"Yes, the triple death is used in very powerful dark magic. In this case it seems to have been used to some how freeze Sorella in some way so that time would pass without effecting her. If the triple death was used than I'm surprised you are here now, that sort of magic should have kempt you out for much longer than 100 years or could have killed you"

"And what happened to the village that I grew up in? It isn't on Aakil's map but I'm pretty sure it was just north of here"

"It and everyone who lived in it were destroyed" Evarinya said without blinking "I'm afraid it was one of the first places to be obligated by Gabble and then the earths anger caused a large earthquake which further changed the landscape. Catranta was founded about 75 years ago and was immediately a thriving community thanks to the life-giving waters of the Dakard River and the shelter from the not too distant mountains above and the dessert to the west. There was a short period of rebellion about 50 years ago but that quickly settled down and there has been peace ever since"

Sorella felt her knees go slightly week and all the blood drain from her face, Evarinya had confirmed without a doubt what she suspected; her entire family and everyone and everything she new was dead or destroyed "thank you" she managed to say in a hoarse whisper.

"is there any way to discover why this was done to Sorella?" Aakil asked the elf

"No. Only her Father and perhaps the sorcerer are likely to know. It could have been done for any number of reasons, there is no point in trying to guess at the logic of someone you never knew and who is likely dead and performed this spell 100 years ago, but perhaps you could find the place where it happened to ease your mind over the situation" Evarinya replied "now is there anything else either of you wish to ask me?"

Aakil looked as Sorella who shook her head before he said "No that is all we wanted to know".

"Very well, but remember that sometimes things happen for a reason" the elf smiled at Sorella and then Aakil "until next time..." then he left them to find their own way out of the library.

By the time they found the dcor Sorella felt recovered and grumpy guard was pacing around the court yard impatiently waighting. When he spotted them coming through the door he glared and muttered under his breathe before grabbing the rains of the 2 horses and thrusting them into Aakil's hands "hurry up" he snarled and headed over to teh door to the street ready to usher them out. Aakil chuckled and seemed to walk as slowly as he could get away with towards the door while the gard muttered and tapped his foot against the ground. As soon as Aakil, Sorella and the two horses were through the door it was slammed shut and Sorella heard a number of locks and bolt being banged into place.

Sorella noticed that the sky was starting to darken as she swung herself onto Storm back "were are we going to go now?" she asked.

"Well, we'll have to go somewhere to eat, feed the horses and sleep" he said as he nudged Kohl to go forward "I know an inn that we can go to that will take decent care of the horses and makes a fine dinner and has excellent ale".


	13. The Northern Forest

AN: here's the next chap and I removed the gun and phone I accidentily had in chap 7. I no its taken a while but Eragon will be in the next chap. Enjoy

Chapter 13: The Northern Forest

The next morning Sorella woke early but Aakil was already sitting at the table eating break fast when she entered the inns dining room.

"Good morning" he laughed

"Good morning"

"I have something for you" Aakil said as he pushed a large parcel across the table towards her "it's just some cloths and a new pair of boots. Its nothing exciting but after we've gone north you can keep it".

"oh, thank you, but you really shouldn't have" Sorella said as she remembered the plane they made the previous night to travel to the forest that she woke up in and then Aakil was going to bring her back to Catranta were she could decide what she wanted to do next. She wanted to see the place again before she started to try and make a life for herself in the present.

After breakfast Sorella went back up to her room to try on the new cloths. Aakil had brought her two dresses; an embroidered emerald green one and a plain brown one for travelling, some undergarments, a thick fur trimmed travelling coat with a hood, leather boots and gloves and a small sharp dagger and belt. She didn't know how she could possibly repay Aakil, it couldn't have been cheep to get all the stuff for her and he certainly new she had no money. Sorella got dressed into the new clothes and sighted as she looked at herself in the mirror, Aakil had done an excellent job choosing the clothes, they fitter perfectly and the cut suited her.

It wasn't long before the horses were all saddled and the new supplies safely stowed away in saddle bags and Sorella and Aakil were heading towards the northern town gate but before they got their Aakil lead Sorella to an unguarded bit of wall and frew their bags over it.

"what did you do that for?" Sorella wanted to know.

"If we approach the northern gate with that much gear there is no way they will let us thru, they'll be way too suspicious, theres not much up there and only a couple of reasons that anyone ever wants to go north and neither of them require a great deal of luggage. We'll collect the bags from the other side of the wall once we're thru the gate" Aakil explained as they approached the gate. It was practically desserted with only a couple of guards standing around looking bored. As Aakil had predicted, this time the guards did stop and question them.

"And were are you planning on going, boy?" the guarded asked in a suspicious voice.

"Just for a ride" Aakil grinned and glanced at Sorella

"Uh huh" the guard stared at Sorella for a moment before asking "and how long do you expect to be?"

Aakil smirked and answered "um... probably a couple of hours"

The guard fort for a moment and said "don't go too far and make sure your back before dusk or you _will_ be looked out and don't expect a search party if you get lost" before grinning at Aakil and saying "have fun", he gave the order for the gate to be opened.

There was about 1km of bare land and then another 1km of low scrub and bush before the forest started "it's a buffer zone" Aakil explained as they found the bags "the town keeps it clear to discourage anything from leaving the forest and approaching the town and it allows for visibility. The townspeople are very suspicious of this forest; they don't even harvest wood for building or burning from it."

"and what about you?" Sorella asked "are _you_ suspicious of the forest north of the town?"

"Me? No, it's just a forest, what can it do?" Aakil smirked "it's only the creatures lurking deep within the forest that concern me but they shuldn't be any different to other forest, and hopefully we won't come across any, but if we do I have a sword to protect us. And now you have a dagger".

They rode the rest of the way to the forest edge in silence. Inside the forest it was dark and damp just as Sorella remembered, the thick canopy prevented the undergrowth from growing thick so it was fairly easy progress as they made their way deeper in, but Sorella didn't recognise anything "maybe we should find the river and follow it north" she suggested "if we can find the place where I was...um...where I fell in then it should be easier to find the place where I first woke".

After a couple more hours of walking they found the river bank and stopped for lunch. Sorella looked across at the forest on the other side of the river and marvelled at the fact that much of it must have grown in the past 80 to 90 years since the earthquake when the river changed course. It was just so strange that not only the man made things had changed since Sorella was frozen, but also the natural landscape and landmarks had been altered. From where they were sitting at the start of a sweeping bend in the river where the gradient rapidly increased Sorella could see both sides of the river and the peaks of the mountains behind the forest. While Sorella was gazing at the view she saw some movement out of the corner of her eye to the right but when she looked it was gone, she told herself it must have been a bird but then she noticed a small twisting trail of smoke "what's that over there?" she pointed in the direction of the smoke on the same side of the river as them but further up.

Aakil looked and wrinkled his brow "it looks like smoke, but it shouldn't be. No one would dare camp that far into the forest and it's unlikely to be a forest fire at this time of year, we had a rain storm less than two weeks ago which saturated everything" Aakil slowly got to his feet and announced "I think we should go and investigate".

"Really?" Sorella was slightly concerned "what if it's something bad?"

Aakil shrugged "we don't have to if you don't want, but it is damned odd seeing that smoke"

"No, I don't mind. I'm just concerned that we mite get killed or something...you know...maybe the townspeople are right to fear the forest, that smoke could belong to a gang of gurgles or something"

"That's true, I suppose" Aakil said "but I've got nothing to loose and neither do you so we might as well investigate"

"ok" Sorella agreed and helped Aakil pack up and sort out the horses.


	14. Where There's Smoke There's Fire

AN: next chapter, Eragon has arrived, enjoy

Chapter 14: Where there's Smoke there's Fire

Sorella and Aakil travelled through the forest for a couple of hours without seeing any sign of human life or the source of the smoke. They did see the occasional bird, some squirrels and a range of insects, Sorella almost thought she saw a deer but couldn't quite tell if it was actually a shadow. The gradient of the forest began to increase and the trees grew bigger as they moved into the more ancient parts. Sorella was beginning to think that if it wasn't for the fact that they were steadily travelling uphill she would have sworn they were going in circles and was just about to suggest that they turn back when the faint but distinctive smell of smoke tickled her senses "do you smell that?" she whispered. Aakil nodded and indicated for her to be silent and get off the horse. Once on the ground he whispered "we'll get a bit closer and then leave the horses and continue on foot, it will be quieter that way" directly into Sorella's ear.

"But what if we need to make a quick escape, wouldn't it be better to keep the horses close" she whispered back. Aakil thought for a moment "ok" he finally said "we'll keep the horses with us until we can ascertain what sort of creatures we're dealing with and how much potential danger we're in, but you will have to keep them quite".

They continued forward towards the source of the smoke until they started to hear human voices. Sorella could make out two young male voices. They weren't angry but intermingled with them was the unmistakable sound of swords hitting each other. Aakil frowned and indicated for Sorella to stay where she was and hold the horses while he crept forward to try and get a visual on the apparently duelling men. Unfortunately something spooked one of the horses and it tried to pull free of Sorella, she tried to calm the horse but it was too late, the swords stopped clanging and Sorella heard one of the men say "did you hear something?" Aakil tried to get back to Sorella but before he could the trees and underbrush started move as something large moved towards them, Aakil froze and gasped as a massive blue dragon burst forth and pinned him to the ground with its fierce claws.

"What is it Saphira?" one of the men said as he ran up behind the dragon towards Aakil with his sword raised.

Before Sorella could stop herself she yelled "NO, don't kill him!" and ran towards Aakil with the terrified horses struggling behind her. The young man looked at her and yelled "STOP, who are you?"

Sorella came to a halt just in time as the man pointed his sword at her and the dragon breathed smoke into Aakils terrified face. "I...I'm Sorella" she managed to say.

"A dragon!" Aakil gasped from under Saphira's claws, he looked confused and slightly in pain.

"who are you and what are you doing here?" the young man snarled at Aakil

"I told you, my name is Sorella and this is Aakil" Sorella answered for Aakil

The man stared at her for a moment "hmmm, ok, what are you doing here?"

"We saw smoke; it wasn't right so we came to see what it was. Please make the dragon let Aakil go" she pleaded.

The young man nodded and Aakil was released. He quickly got to his feet and gently rested his hand on the hilt of his sword "what are you doing camping in this forest?" he snarled at the stranger "and what kind of dark magic is this dragon illusion?"

"It's not an illusion" he said to Aakil "this is my dragon Saphira. We didn't think we would be discovered in this forest"

Aakil looked from the man to the dragon and back again "where did you get the dragon?" he asked suspiciously "Gabble has the only dragon and dragon eggs"

"He did, but I have this one now" the man replied "it's a rather complicated story and I'm not going to tell you it. Now you will both come with me, I can't have you running off and telling everyone where we are"

Aakil looked for a moment like he was going to refuse, but a low growl from the dragon was enough to convince him and Sorella to follow the stranger.

"I'm Eragon by the way" he said as they walked the few meters into a small clearing with a fire in the middle of it. Sitting by the fire was a young man with black hair "I told you I could handle it myself" Eragon called to his companions but just at that moment Aakil drew his sword and placed the tip of it on Eragons shoulder so the sharp edge of the blade just touched his neck and whispered "thief". Eragon froze, his face went pale and Sorella could see fear in his eyes, the other man got to his feet but was stopped from taking a step forward by the dangerous look in Aakils steel grey eyes.

"_I think I can take him out without hurting you_" Saphira said to Eragon

"_No_" Eragon silently said back "_I don't want anyone to get hurt, Aakil just doesn't understand_"

"Aakil" Eragon said without turning his head to look at him "no one wants to hurt you or Sorella. I didn't steal anything from Gabble. We just need to all calm down and talk, I think there's some sort of confusion going on here"

Aakil didn't respond.

"Aakil" Sorella pleaded "I think we should listen to them. They have a dragon and you said they were all gone and they aren't afraid of the forest. They might know something"

"I don't listen to thieves and murderers" Aakil spat

"What do you mean thieves and murderers?" the man by the fire asked

"I mean" Aakil began "Eragon is a thief and a murderer. Surely you've heard the story of how Eragon corrupted a village into being cannon fodder for Gabbles army so that he could create a distraction to steal a dragon egg, killing anyone who got in his way. He knew it would be a suicide mission for the villagers, including his own uncle and cousin, and still he sent them. He forced the dragon to bond with him. And then with his dragon he went on to destroy more lives and take what he wanted."

"No" Eragon cried "that is not true"

Sorella didn't know what to think. She found it difficult to believe the young man, Eragon, standing before her could be such a monster but the proof, the dragon, was standing right there and Aakil seemed so sure.

"It is true and I won't believe any lies that you try to tell me" Aakil said as he pressed the blade against Eragons neck so that a single drop of blood slowly slid down Eragons neck and onto the collar of his shirt "I should kill you now" he whispered to Eragon "but instead I'll take you to Gabble and justice". Saphira growled and the man by the fire stiffened.

"No" Eragon said "that isn't what happened. I didn't steal the egg. It just fell into my hands by accident and hatched. I had nothing to do with its removal from Gabble and he didn't force the dragon to do anything. The village I came from is nowhere near Uru'baen, Gabbles Ra'zac attacked the village and killed my uncle."

"How can I believe you?" Aakil growled

"That horrible story about Eragon is propaganda; it's just a story to make people hate him" the other man said "just look at the dragon, does it look like she's been forced into anything? Gabble is the evil one. You have to believe us or we will be forced to take drastic actions" he said as he gave a meaningful look to Saphira.

Aakil frowned. He wasn't sure he should believe these strangers over there ruler. "Please Aakil" Sorella whispered "he has a dragon. You said there were no dragons but that dragon chose him". Sorella was terrified that Aakil wouldn't back down and would instead get them both killed so she picked up a large rock that was lying on the grass next to her feet and hit Aakil in the back of the head with it. Aakil crumbled to the ground unconscious a thin trickle of blood dampened the hair at the back of his head.


	15. Eragon

Chapter 15: Eragon

"I think he was starting to believe us" Eragon said

"No he wasn't" the black haired man disagreed

Eragon looked from Aakils unconscious body lying at his feet to the rock in Sorella's hand and then finally he looked at Sorella herself and frowned. Sorella gulped and looked away from him "sorry" she quietly said "I...I thought he might kill you. But he is a nice person and we really did want to see what the smoke was. If you help me get him onto his horse we can leave you"

"You can't leave now" the dark haired man said as he came over and started dragging Aakil by his wrists towards the fire.

"You're not going to kill him are you?" Sorella cried

"Of course not" he said as he took some rope out of a bag "I'm just going to tie him up so that when he wakes up he won't try to kill _us_"

"Oh" Sorella said as Eragon took the reins from Sorella's hand and lead Storm and Kohl over to the where the other horses were tethered. "Are you going to tie _me_ up _too_?" she asked.

"Do we_ need _to?" the dark man asked, Sorella shook her head.

"By the way, his names Murtagh" Eragon said as he smiled at Sorella.

"H-how long are you planning on keeping us here?" Sorella asked.

"Well that depends" Murtagh answered "it depends on what Aakil says when he wakes up. We can't have someone who wants to kill Eragon and knows where he is and who he's with, running around, now can we?"

"No, I suppose you can't. But I don't think he would actually kill Eragon"

"You don't _think_ he would? You don't _know_ for sure?" Eragon asked "how well do you know Aakil?"

Sorella shrugged "actually I don't know him that well at all. But he was kind to me when I was at my worst and he has helped me so much, I can't believe that he would ever kill anyone, even if he hated them. But I'm sure that if what you say is true and you explain it to him and he has a chance to think about it then he won't hate you Eragon"

"So you believe us?" Murtagh asked

"Y-yes" Sorella said "I hadn't heard any of the stories, I was under a spell of sorts until recently and don't know anything about Gabble or Eragon. But the dragon doesn't seem to have been forced and you don't seem like thieves or murderers"

"Well, we're not" Eragon said as he sat down by the fire "would you like some stew?" he asked as he indicated a pot cooking over the fire

"Yes please" Sorella replied.

By the time Sorella, Murtagh and Eragon had finished their dinner and Eragon had told Sorella the basics of his story the sky had darkened to a deep navy blue and slight chill was creeping through the forest. Aakil started to stir and Murtagh helped him sit up but kept his wrists and ankles bound. Aakil glared from Eragon to Sorella "what the hell happened?" he asked.

"I knocked you out" Sorella said without regret

"Why?" Aakil yelled as he started to struggle against the ropes

"Because you were going to kill Eragon and I believe him. He is the first dragon rider in many years and he wants to fight Gabble and free everyone from his rule"

Aakil frowned "What is wrong with Gabbles rule?"

"Surely you've seen that Gabble is evil?" Eragon asked

"Evil? He hardly plays a role in my life at all; he doesn't affect most people's lives other than having to pay tax and who's to say that whoever takes over after Gabble won't be even worse?"

"It can't get much worse" Murtagh said "you just haven't experienced the Empire when you are out of favour. The power that Gabble has is unnatural and he forces people to do things against their will"

"Anyway" Sorella said "it looks like there is going to be a change whether you like it or not, Aakil, so you might as well accept it"

Aakil sighed "ok, ok. Maybe you should tell me what the Empire has done" he said so Eragon and Murtagh told him about the Varden and their desire to kill Gabble and hopefully bring back the dragons. By the end of it Aakil seemed to believe them but agreed to let them keep him tied up overnight to show them trust.

The next morning Sorella helped Eragon and Murtagh pack up the camp before asking "what are you going to do with me and Aakil?"

"we'll let you go" Eragon said as he went over to Aakil and began to untie the ropes "but whether you agree with us or the Empire you have to swear that you will tell no one about us or about Saphira"

"Ok" Sorella agreed, Aakil hesitated and then nodded.

"But..." Aakil said as he gently rubbed his wrist and ankles which were now ringed with red "I want to help you"

"What?" Murtagh exclaimed "yesterday it was hard to even convince you to believe us"

"I've given it some thought and if you don't mind I would like to travel with you and help you" Aakil said "I have some money and the Empire isn't after me so I will be able to go places that you two can't. I hate my life as it is and I don't care if I die. Sorella, if you want to return to Catranta then I'll give you a note for my parents explaining that I have gone and that you can keep Storm"

"No, I want to go too" Sorella said

"What?" Murtagh spluttered "you two can't just invite yourselves to travel with us"

"We can't risk your lives unnecessarily" Eragon said

"You're not. We want to go. I have no life as it is. If you don't want me to go with you then you'll have to kill me or I'll just follow you"

"Me too" Sorella defiantly agreed. Eragon looked at Murtagh who just shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you think?" Eragon asked Murtagh

He shrugged his shoulders again and said "I don't mind, it's up to you and Saphira"

"_What do you think, Saphira?_"

"_I don't think we have a choice, they seem determined_" she replied "_besides, they are right about it being helpful having someone with us who isn't known to the Empire and Aakil looks like he can handle a sword and Sorella is certainly capable of hitting him over the head if he misbehaves"_

Eragon chuckled "_so we let them join us?_"

"_I vote yes_"

"Ok, you two can come" Eragon said out loud as he walked over to Aakil and healed his wrists and ankles. Sorella couldn't help but laugh at Aakils shocked response to the magic "you know magic" he whispered to Eragon.

"It's nothing" Eragon said as he walked over to Snowfire "come on, we need to get going, we're going to Gil'ead to find out how to get to the Varden" and they all got onto their horses and made their way into the forest.


End file.
